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Boston Red Sox's Quintin Berry sprays fans with sparkling wine after the Red Sox clinched the AL East title with a 6-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game at Fenway Park, Friday, Sept. 20, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BALTIMORE – In many ways, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones has bragging rights with childhood friend Quintin Berry: playing time, simple career numbers in the majors.

But there’s one area Berry’s always had a leg up, so to speak.

He proved that outright in a high school foot race.

“Ask him about that; he’ll tell you,” said Berry, who is likely to be a pinch-runner for the Red Sox in the playoffs. “I beat him down pretty bad. He had no chance.”

Jones, who went to the same elementary school and high school as Berry, didn’t have quite the same recollection.

“Yeah, (it) happened,” Jones said. “He’s faster. He still doesn’t have my range (in the outfield). ... Neck and neck. I want to race him again. Probably this offseason.”

The pair of San Diego, Calif., natives planned to go to college together before Jones was drafted 37th overall in 2003. They had grown close during their time at Morse High.

“Oh yeah, no, we talk all the time,” Berry said. “I tell everybody, he was the best man at my wedding, he’s my son’s godfather. I talk to him all the time. All the time. Hang out in the offseason.”

Berry was even considering staying with Jones on this trip to Baltimore, Boston’s final of the regular season.

Berry and Red Sox fans are just getting to know each other, considering Berry has played in all of 11 games and made five plate appearances. The introductory process could be sped up quickly come October, when Berry may well be in the spotlight late off the bench.

Asked what the Red Sox have in Berry, Jones knew the right string to pull: “A David Roberts-esque player.”

“He’s been stealing bases since 12 years old,” Jones said. “In high school he stole 20 every year. He’s just been running and ain’t never stopped.”

Berry is a perfect 24-for-24 in his major-league career, including last year’s postseason. Jones, who is less than a year younger, has had some success himself, going 74-for-104.

Berry might deserve at least some credit for that. The two have always worked out together in the winter.

But this winter, Berry wants to do more than just hit with Jones. He really wants to dig into technique.

“We’ve picked each others brains,” Jones said. “He’s a good baserunner. I became a better baserunner by talking to him about it. I think he wants to not necessarily take my approach, but dig into my mind how I think about hitting. I’m not the best hitter, I’m not the worst, but I’ve had some success. Whatever he wants.“

Berry has bounced around a lot in his career, and he’s hoping – as anyone would – to latch on with one organization, Boston. The bat is there, Jones believes, to keep Berry around.

“He can hit,” Jones said. “He hasn’t swung the bat the way he wanted to this year, but he can hit. We’re just going to get back to the basics about hitting.”

Easy for Jones to say.

“You know, he has so much ability it’s hard to – just natural ability – it’s hard to learn from a guy like that,” Berry said. “I told him this offseason, I said, ’I really want to get together.’ We hit every offseason, but we kind of just hit. ‘I really want to pick your brain, I want you to help me get better as a hitter.’ But his defense is unbelievable. I try to pick up as much (as I can). He tried to pick up a little bit of base-stealing stuff from me one time, and then he shut down. He was like, ‘Whatever.’”